La Liebre takes over Lupe’s town, kidnapping Lydia and terrorizing the citizens. Lupe can hardly sleep; when she does, La Liebre is all she sees. For a while Socorro focuses on her children rather than her lost husband, but she eventually breaks down, cursing him and his choice to leave. She throws all his clothes out, so Lupe and the neighbor’s salvage what they can for themselves. Lupe sleeps in the colonel’s jacket and then decides to bury it. After securing permission from her mother, Lupe has Victoriano escort her up to the “high country,” where she finds a beautiful setting and tree under which to bury the colonel’s coat (70). When Lupe goes to bury the jacket, however, she finds a small fawn that she likens to the colonel. She adopts the fawn, and he becomes her loyal pet.

In the meantime, Señor Jones sends his family back to the States, realizing that he has little control over the area. Señora Muñoz also announces to Lupe that she will be leaving. She encourages Lupe to continue her studies even if Señora Muñoz is absent. Lupe begins bringing food to Señora Muñoz each morning, not realizing until her mother says something that her teacher most likely stopped getting paid once the Americans lost control.